In college, teenagers meet adults with a wide variety of tasks, all of whom have their education as their mission. What is the place of college in society? Who are the actors of its operation? How do they make decisions?
The college, an educational institution
- The college is part of a national public service whose mission is education . For all the colleges in France, the State sets the programs, recruits and pays all the staff.
- On the other hand, the college’s investment expenditure (construction of new premises, renovation of old premises) and its operating expenditure (canteen, heating, maintenance, etc.) are paid for by a local authority: the department .
The college, an educational community
The adults who work at the college have a wide variety of jobs, all of which are essential to the smooth running of the college. The actors of this educational community can be grouped into several large teams or according to certain functions:
the management team , i.e. the headteacher (the principal) and his deputy (the deputy principal)
the pedagogical team (the one in charge of teaching), that is to say the teachers, but also the educational assistants who can assist them with certain tasks
documentation (generally only one librarian per college) who takes care of the documentation and information center ( CDI.), i.e. the college library
school life , that is to say the principal education adviser (CPE.) and supervisors. This team is in charge of the students outside of class (recreations, duty room)
the manager ‘s team (called a school steward). Its staff is numerous and ensures the smooth running of the college: half-board (canteen), maintenance and cleaning staff, etc.
the medico-social team , which includes the school doctor, the school nurse, the social worker, the psychologist guidance counselor (COP).
III. College decision-making bodies
Day-to-day decisions (schedules, for example) are made by the principal or his deputy. But some decisions are taken by collegial bodies (i.e. with several members), councils .
- The Board of Directors (CA) is the most important body. It adopts the establishment project and the budget of the college. It is he, for example, who provides for the creation of a project class or who authorizes a class trip. He can also sit on the disciplinary council and take heavy sanctions against a student (exclusion for more than eight days or definitive). The Principal chairs the Board but decisions are taken by a vote of all the delegates. On the board there are delegates from teachers, other adults who work at the college, students, parents, local authorities.
- The class council monitors the schooling of the pupils each term and decides, at the end of the year, on the passage to the next class or the doubling and on the orientation on leaving college. At the end of 5th grade , he simply gives advice that the student’s family may not follow. On the other hand, at the end of 6 th , 4 th and 3 rd , its decisions are binding on the student: the family can simply lodge an appeal against them before an appeal committee. The class council is chaired by the principal or his deputy (sometimes by the CPE.) who takes the final decision after hearing the opinion of the members of the council: class teachers, parents’ representatives, student representatives.
